A Lithuanian court has convicted a senior leader from a ruling coalition party for making antisemitic remarks, imposing a €5,000 fine. This decision came on Thursday from the district court in Vilnius, which determined that Remigijus Žemaitaitis had incited hatred against the Jewish community while grossly downplaying the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany and minimizing the significance of the Holocaust.
Details of the case
The court’s ruling stemmed from a series of social media posts and public statements made by Žemaitaitis in May and June 2023. In these communications, he controversially suggested that the demolition of schools in Palestine was merely a trivial concern for Lithuanian journalists and Jews. He also included references to an antisemitic nursery rhyme and made remarks related to World War II events.
“Žemaitaitis chose and used language that was degrading, violated human dignity and demonstrated hatred,”
stated Judge Nida Vigelienė during the sentencing. The penalty imposed was less severe than what prosecutors had sought, which was a hefty fine of €51,000 to be directed to victims of crime.
Political implications and future actions
Žemaitaitis previously resigned from his position in Lithuania’s parliament in 2024 after the constitutional court found that he had breached his oath and violated constitutional principles with his statements. However, he returned to political life in the subsequent election, leading the populist Nemuno Aušra (Nemunas Dawn) party, which joined a coalition government under the centre-left Social Democrats. Notably, he is not a member of Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė’s Cabinet.
The court concluded that Žemaitaitis’s rhetoric crossed the boundaries of free expression. Although he was absent from the court hearing, he expressed to reporters his intention to appeal the decision, asserting that “everybody understands that this is a politicised decision.”
In response to the ruling, the Social Democrats emphasized on social media that any form of antisemitism, hate speech, or Holocaust denial is entirely unacceptable and inconsistent with their values. They acknowledged the court’s decision but also pointed out that it is not yet final.